


For Who You Are

by orphan_account



Series: Archbishop [6]
Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Angst and Fluff and Smut, Canon Compliant, F/F, Femslash, Healing, Lesbian Sex, Making Love, Romance, Self-Hatred
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-23
Updated: 2020-01-23
Packaged: 2021-02-27 04:53:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22371364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: "She may have been a beloved figurehead, but she was a replacement. A farce, a mere temporary patch for a very deep wound. Everything she did, she did so in Sothis’ stead; and in doing so, it was as if her own personhood was lost. Those around her saw the Archbishop, but not Rhea. Never Rhea. Never, until Byleth came along."Saint Seiros Day comes around, and Byleth attempts to heal the deep wounds that torment Rhea then.
Relationships: My Unit | Byleth/Rhea
Series: Archbishop [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1540240
Comments: 3
Kudos: 84





	For Who You Are

**Author's Note:**

> i'm playing silver snow again. i'm very upset about how much rhea hates herself, and i had to do something about it.

For the past several centuries, the eleventh day of the Guardian Moon had been Saint Seiros Day. A day when people from all walks of life, across all of Fódlan, would sing hymns offer prayers to Seiros. Seiros, the saint. The warrior who defeated Nemesis and averted disaster for the continent. The enlightened soul whose task it was to spread the teachings and blessings of the Goddess, and protect the land in her stead.

Rhea, of course, was more than happy to spend most of her day in the cathedral, receiving the many visitors with all of her usual grace and splendor. She prayed with them, gave sermons, offered kind words and blessings alike. Though such things might usually bring a smile to her face and a boost to her spirits, on this particular day, they made her rather somber. She was almost always putting on a façade for the people, but it never weighed as heavily on her as on Saint Seiros Day.

She may have been a beloved figurehead, but she was a replacement. A farce, a mere temporary patch for a very deep wound. Everything she did, she did so in Sothis’ stead; and in doing so, it was as if her own personhood was lost. Those around her saw the Archbishop, but not Rhea. Never Rhea. Never, until Byleth came along.

It was the second year in the new United Kingdom of Fódlan’s calendar - Year 1187 of the old Imperial calendar. Similar to the many, many years before it, Rhea’s Saint Seiros Day was a long and tiresome one. By the time she retired to her quarters, shortly after sundown, she felt quite exhausted - not just physically, but emotionally. The activities of the day reopened old wounds in her heart. Her entire self felt heavy, body and soul.

Just as she had shed her formal regalia and sat upon her bed wearing only the white cotton gown, she heard the distinct sound of her door being unlocked and opened. She jumped a bit, still not quite used to it, even after all this time; but she relaxed upon seeing Byeth enter the room. She exhaled when Byleth gave a smile in her direction. Rhea nodded back to her, and watched Byleth dress down to more comfortable attire. When Byleth was only in her top, shorts, and tights, she sat on the bed next to Rhea. She regarded her, took her in. Though Rhea may have tried to hide it, Byleth could read her better than anyone else in the world. She gently cupped Rhea’s cheek, looking into her eyes.

“Hello, Rhea.”

Rhea managed a smile. “Hello, dear one. Welcome back.”

Byleth tilted her head just so. “You’re quite weary.”

Rhea averted her gaze. “Ah, well… It has been a rather long day. Perhaps I spent too long standing in a single spot whilst at the monastery.”

Her attempt to distract mounted to nothing. Byleth’s gaze only bore down on her more intensely. “Rhea, I know you. You’re hurting.”

Rhea watched her in silence, then. The false smile gone from her lips, she stopped resisting the urge to let a melancholy expression form on her countenance.

“This is supposed to be a joyful day of celebration - especially for you, I think. And yet, here you are. Looking like this,” Byleth went on. Rhea averted her eyes, and Byleth drew closer. “You’re doing it again, aren’t you?”

Rhea trembled ever so slightly. “I… do not know what you are talking about.”

Byleth let out a brief sigh, then used her free hand to cover Rhea’s. “But you do. You’re trying to hide your pain from me again. Please, Rhea. Let me into your heart.”

Rhea pursed her lips, searching within her for the right words to say. Despite having lived as Byleth’s partner for quite some time, she still struggled with opening up when it came to these things. She steeled herself, took a deep breath, and attempted to articulate her conflicting emotions.

“This day in particular reminds me that, to the people, I am little more than the figure of Saint Seiros is. They wish for my blessings and guidance, which I will happily grant, but--” she paused, briefly biting her lip before continuing. “Well… It is lonely. So very lonely. For so many years, no one has looked at me and seen past the Archbishop, or the voice of the Goddess - seen a woman. Not until you. I know that I being selfish, and yet still I—”

Byleth pressed two of her fingers to Rhea’s lips, halting her words. “No more, Rhea. I understand what you’re feeling. I do.”

Rhea stared at her with wide, glistening eyes. Eyes full of pain and regret, loneliness and despair… and, hidden a bit deeper within, a desire for something.

“Perhaps you are nothing more than those things to the people of Fódlan. But I know you. Our family - your brothers and Flayn - know you, too. But I think I know you even better than they do. I see you, Rhea. For everything you are.”

Rhea tensed. She understood the implication behind Byleth’s words, and clearly, they were still painful to her. Swift on the uptake as always, Byleth tilted her chin up.

“And I love you for it, Rhea. I love you.”

She leaned in, and kissed Rhea’s lips. Though it was a bit sudden, Rhea returned the gesture in full. She closed her lips around Byleth’s, wrapped her arms around Byleth’s neck. She poured herself into that kiss, letting her emotions - good and bad - flow through her lips. Byleth drew her closer, sitting back against the pillows and pulling Rhea along with her. It was rather amusing, Byleth thought. Rhea was taller and stronger, and yet she sometimes seemed so light and pliant in her arms.  
  
They settled among the pillows and sheets, sinking into them together. Their kiss went on for several minutes, lips and tongues brushing together, with every little touch speaking louder than a thousand words.

“My sweet— Byleth—”

“Even if you don’t believe it yourself yet, then let my feelings be enough for now, Rhea,” Byleth said, her voice a bit muffled as she nuzzled into Rhea’s neck. “Let me prove to you that you’re incredible.”

Rhea trembled. She smoothed her hands up and down Byleth’s back as Byleth pressed kiss after kiss to her neck, her collarbones, her jaw. “But I—”

“No buts. You are the most amazing woman I have ever met. Not because you’re a child of the Goddess, or the Archbishop, or Saint Seiros. Because you’re Rhea. And you’re the one I love most in this world.”

Byleth’s words had a powerful effect on Rhea. The strong emotions threatened to overwhelm her. She held tight onto Byleth - perhaps too tight, even - and briefly fought back her most intense, most primal urges. She calmed herself just before bright green light took over her eyes, and permeated her entire body. But she did draw Byleth in and kissed her again, harder this time. With more tongue and teeth.

Even now, she could hardly believe it. That she could be wanted this.. Loved, like this. Not for her role, but for who she was - even after all of her sins were laid bare for all of Fódlan to see.

If Byleth wasn’t as strong as she was, Rhea would have been afraid that she might hurt her. She clutched tightly at her skin, digging her nails into it, biting it. They became a messy, frantic tangle of limbs as they worked to discard their dresses, and press as much of their naked bodies together as possible.

Even after all this time, Rhea was still caught by surprise at the sensation of having so much of herself against Byleth. Kissing her like this, being so intimately close to her… she was so vulnerable, and yet, she enjoyed it. In fact, she craved even more. As if even being naked against each other wasn’t enough; as if no amount of physical closeness could ever be enough. So she translated her desire for an even deeper sort of connection into desperate touches, seeking Byleth’s beautiful body in the most special sort of way… The rush of was intoxicating - her dragon’s blood fervently pulsing through her veins.

Rhea gasped when Byleth bit at her neck, and parted her lips to sink a finger inside of her.

“Byleth,”

“I love you,” Byleth was saying. Rhea couldn’t even tell if she knew of the effect those words - and the feelings behind them - had on her. “I love you, Rhea. All of you.”

Rhea moaned rather desperately, long and high pitched. She shifted her hips back and forth, thrusting them against Byleth’s hand.

“My beloved. I, I—”

Byleth hummed in between her heavy breaths. She must have been exerting herself quite a bit, holding Rhea in place, and burying a finger inside her at the same time. And yet, skillful as always, she showed no sign of wavering. She was fully immersed in her task, determined to please Rhea, so that it might quell her craving for love, even if just for the night.

Rhea’s grip around Byleth’s neck tightened. She weaved a hand into her hair and grabbed a fistful of it. She needed more.

No words were needed, of course. Byleth pushed a second finger inside of Rhea, and what followed almost made her go mad. Rhea’s musical gasp, the feeling of her warm walls constricting her fingers, pulling them in. Rhea was so wet, so incredibly turned on from it all. It was absolutely thrilling.

“Oh, Byleth, my love....”

Byleth nibbled at her earlobe, then licked up the pointed shell of her ear. “I know, Rhea. Is it good just like this?”

“Just like that,” Rhea pleaded, her muscles tensing so she could fuck herself faster onto Byleth’s fingers. “ _Just_ like that. Oh, _Goddess-_ ”

Byleth leaned down, and took her lips into her own again. It was wet, loud, and messy. They intensely made out as Byleth held her close and gave to her harder, and harder, increasing the intensity and pace just at the rhythm that she knew Rhea liked.

Rhea was positively drunk around her - delirious almost. Her moans and gasps could be a song.

“Byleth, oh Goddess!- I’m going to come—”

“Come on, Rhea,” Byleth urged. She bit at her neck again.

“Come on. I love you. I love you. Come for me.”

“Oh- OH— I-- _Hah—!!_ ”

Rhea’s body bucked against Byleth without restraint or abandon. She lost control of herself, screaming a high pitched sound as a powerful orgasm shook her. Byleth held on through it, drawing out every last second. When Rhea was finally spent, she fell forward, laying on Byleth’s chest.

Byleth carefully withdrew her fingers, and as always, brought them to her mouth to suck them clean. She then laid back, breathing deeply from the physical strain, and silently held Rhea to her. Rhea’s slow, deep breaths helped to soothe her.

A few minutes had passed when Rhea nuzzled against Byleth’s chest, then turned her gaze up to her eyes.

“Why is it that you spoil me so?”

Byleth grinned. “I think it had been far too long since you’d been spoiled. And you deserve it.” She ran her fingers into Rhea’s hair, gently massaging her scalp. The smile on Rhea’s face then made chest feel like it could burst from pure love.

“I must say. If there is one blessing from the Goddess for which I am most grateful…” Rhea yawned, sleep clearly beginning to take its hold on her. But she managed to get out a few final words before she drifted off,

“It is that she brought me to you.”

**Author's Note:**

> have a suggestion/request, or are interested in commissioning me? shoot me an email at shinycommissions@gmail.com
> 
> hit me up on twitter @HiShinyMilorics ~


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